Something to think about-- a Proverb

Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.

(Proverbs 15:16)

If you notice in the side column of many blogs these days are 'Snipets' or Widgets, from a variety of sources. My favorite so far is from Christian Women On-line (CWO). It's cool. I don't have to think, it does the work for me. & it always pulls up a passage that makes me think.

Like todays.

I fear the Lord, not in a cowering sort of way, but in an amazed and reverent sort of way. I have heard that most people have a slant on the Lord, that has alot to do with their own earthly fathers. And I have studied him through the years- as well my Mom too. For better or for worse, I would say, I'm a disciple. A follower, one who has been trained & chastised through the years. Chastised is not a bad term, it's like the term 'discipline'. Through the years, discipline has become a euphamism for corporal punishment. But discipline and chastisement walk hand in hand. It is a learning thing. A teaching thing. A training thing. From someone worth watching and therefore, worth learning the things they teach and do. My parents will be the first to tell you that they are not the standard for all parenting, although they like most loving parents, they did their best. But like most Godly parents, they'll tell you, to look to the Lord, for a perfect example, of who and what a parent should be like and is, and why He is to be feared.

'My dad always used to say...'

When my Mom was growing up, she mentioned that an excellent gague on an activities appropriateness, was the thought of my Nana's reaction. Nana was different when she was a parent. Super strict, but never did she change on her standards. My Mom knew if she felt shame in light of what Nana might think, it was probably not a constructive activity. When we study our parents, and 'know' them, we also gain a sense of what pleases them. The rules aren't always written down, but they don't have to be. Judgment develops in the child, the disciple, the one who is following the leader & teacher. This is what a healthy fear of a parent looks like, in my humble opinion. Nana didn't predict every situation, neither was there a addage for every moment, where it would have been good to know 'what Dad always used to say'. Fear of disappointing, a longing to please in a fundamental learning way. It would be easy for me to get sidetracked into the issue of 'is it healthy to be a people pleaser...' but that's not what this is about. This is about being a follower, a disciple, one who fears, as a child, as a beginning learner.

Back to the Proverb from today's CWO snipet......

'Better is little with fear of the Lord, than treasure and trouble therewith.' It is better to be in step with, be in favor with, be a disciple of the Lord. It is a good thing to have a clear conscience, to know God is looking for us to succeed, not fail. He wants us to fear Him, and look ever for His approval. I'll have to look at part 2, treasure & trouble on another day.

But be sure to check out the snippets, in the side bar. Also the parenting tips. Good stuff.